THE UK’s leading contemporary opera company, Music Theatre Wales, returns to Pontio next week.

Following on from its previous success of Y Twr, the company returns with a shocking tale of migration and exploitation, hopes and lost dreams, in a new English-language version of Peter Eötvös’s The Golden Dragon.

When Music Theatre Wales presented the UK première of the Hungarian composer’s chamber opera at the Buxton Festival in July 2016, it was greeted with critical acclaim.

Directed by Michael McCarthy, The Golden Dragon will be performed at the Theatr Bryn Terfel, Pontio on Wednesday, October 18 at 7.30pm. Part black comedy, part heartbreaking lament, the story is set in a pan-Asian restaurant of the sort to be found in any city anywhere,

Based on Roland Schimmelpfennig’s wildly successful play, The Golden Dragon is funny, shocking and touching in equal measure.

At the heart of this East-meets-West tale is the discovery of a decayed tooth in a bowl of soup belonging to a kitchen “boy”, a long way from home and with no papers.

He’s also looking for his sister, but she’s been forced into a very different kind of service just next door.

The Golden Dragon deals with serious issues deeply recognisable in today’s world, and is. The cast of multi-tasking singers Llio Evans, Lucy Schaufer, Andrew MacKenzie-Wicks, and Johnny Herford reprise their performances, while tenor Daniel Norman joins the cast for the first time.

The production has been variously described by critics as “a taut, impressive piece, brilliantly presented” and “spare but brilliant, and flecked with moments of rare beauty”.

Tickets costing £15 adult/£12 over-60s/£5 students and under-18s are available by visiting tickets.pontio.co.uk or by telephoning the box office on 01248 382828.